Clay Center Presbyterian Manor
Mary’s Musings By Mary Bridges, chaplain JANUARY 2022
Mental health services now offered virtually Thanks to a new telehealth delivery arrangement with Deer Oaks, residents of Clay Center Presbyterian Manor have expanded access to mental health services. “Telehealth has been around for some time. However, our recent COVID-19 virus threat has made Congress realize that insurance companies, including Medicare, need to recognize and pay for the benefit this type of service can provide,” said Dr. Margo Fallon, a licensed psychologist with Deer Oaks. “People don’t have to travel to the actual office and can actually see the provider without a mask! Who feels confident sharing feelings with ‘The Lone Ranger’ wearing a mask. We are seeing all of our clients in this manner, not just the ones in care facilities.” The addition of virtually delivered mental health services opens the door to another level of care that can be challenging to deliver to rural locations, particularly during the pandemic. Such care and treatment is an important part of ensuring overall well-being for residents. “Individuals of all ages can benefit from help with mental health issues,” Dr. Fallon said. “Some are universal to us all, and some can also be agerelated based on developmental issues. There are stresses one experiences as a young child, in the teen years, as young adults, such as dating and mating, career/work, and aging. Aging issues deal with adjustment of the physical and mental changes humans deal with towards the final chapter in their lives. There is grief humans feel with the loss of other humans, personal abilities, home setting etc. Often the elderly suffer a physical issue which triggers other losses when their
Editor’s Note: In a nod to our Presbyterian heritage, we are featuring a column from a PMMA® chaplain regularly in our newsletter. This month’s featured column comes from Mary Bridges, chaplain at Salina Presbyterian Manor.
There is nothing permanent except change. — Heraclitus When I ponder the meaning of life, I always conclude that life is another word for change. As my mother grew older, we often debated about change. She would tell me it was hard. I would respond with my belief that when we initiate a change it is much easier to accept than when we have to change due to circumstances beyond our control. What’s real is that change is constant. With every ending, there is a beginning. God is with us not only in our beginnings and in our endings but in every moment in-between. The church recognizes this by calling God and Jesus the Alpha and the Omega. If we were to draw a straight line with the Alpha at one end and the Omega at the other, we could use it to represent the events of our
Change – continued on page 2
Mental health – continued on page 2 Get the latest on visitation and COVID-19 at our campus at ClayCenterPresbyterianManor.org/covid-19.
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Mental health – continued from page 1 home setting and self-care are radically altered, especially if this happens suddenly.” The process of accessing care through Deer Oaks should be seamless and easy for residents and staff to manage. Deer Oaks manages the administrative end of the service, while Dr. Fallon brings her expertise and experience to help residents from varied backgrounds. “I am a psychologist in private practice in the Kansas City area,” Dr. Fallon said. “We have an office
but are currently using teletherapy for safety and to be able to work with far-flung clients. Deer Oaks recruited me to work with some residents of elder care communities because I have an interest in and experience with this population. I have also lived in both large and small communities, so I can relate to the setting.” Dr. Fallon said in her more than 25 years of experience, she’s practiced in a number of areas, including play therapy with children, couples therapy, and
family therapy. Her specialty is expressive arts action therapy, which uses the arts to aid in therapy. “I like to tailor the technique to the person and collaborate with them about their feelings, concerns, troubles, and treatment goals,” Dr. Fallon said. “Then we work on building a therapeutic relationship in which we can make a plan of action … While medication can help with mental health issues, it is not a permanent solution. Psychotherapy is a mutual collaboration.” u
Change – continued from page 1 lives. If we take this timeline and form it into a circle, rather than being at opposite ends, the Alpha and Omega are side by side. The end is now the beginning, and the beginning is now the end. It becomes the circle of life. In a circle, there is no beginning or ending. These
overlapping symbols of the Alpha and the Omega can be seen as a sign of God’s presence among us. Beginnings and endings are always happening. As one moment ends and another begins, we can know that God is there. God is at both in the beginning and the ending of our personal
“circles of life,” and that is what really matters. Each new year is like starting a new chapter in our lives. My prayer for each of us is simple: “May the words of Advent follow us into 2022, as we live as a people who are guided by hope, peace, joy and love in this year and forever more.” AMEN. u
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Community Matters 785-632-5646 u Fax: 785-632-5874 924 Eighth St. Clay Center, KS 67432-2620 ClayCenterPresbyterianManor.org
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | January 2022
is published monthly for residents and friends of Clay Center Presbyterian Manor by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
To submit or suggest articles: dkuhlman@pmma.org Dani Kuhlman, marketing director
OUR MISSION: To provide quality senior services guided by Christian values.
Prayer for the new year
Clay Center Presbyterian Manor | A PMMA COMMUNITY
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COMMUNITY MATTERS | January 2022